


Common Tongue

by afteriwake



Category: Star Trek: Alternate Original Series (Movies)
Genre: Conflicted Spock, Eventual Spock/Nyota Uhura, F/M, First Kiss, Flirting, Flirty Uhura, Fluff, Languages and Linguistics, Romantic Spock, Sneaky Uhura, Spock Speaking Vulcan, Uhura Speaking Vulcan
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-02
Updated: 2016-08-02
Packaged: 2018-07-29 00:03:15
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,233
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7662358
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/afteriwake/pseuds/afteriwake
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Uhura notices that when Spock is around her he speaks in Vulcan, and she wants to know what he's saying, which prompts her to learn his native language. She doesn't expect for that to lead to private lessons with him, which leads to something even more.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Common Tongue

**Author's Note:**

  * For [GreenSkyOverMe](https://archiveofourown.org/users/GreenSkyOverMe/gifts).



> So this was written for **GreenSkyOverMe** , who has been asking for Spock/Uhura fic and when I was sharing some prompts I had saved had liked one I had from **imagineyourotp** that I altered slightly as they had to keep their relationship secret (" _Imagine Person A being bilingual and besides speaking perfect English they always mutter something under their breath in the other language. Person B secretly starts learning the language and it turns out that it's a constant flow of praise/dirty talking/other nice thing that comes to your mind. Eventually when person A finds out B learnt their language they start to use it for talking dirty and gets B flustered or aroused in public places. Bonus point if there is an elderly lady that understands them and goes bright red._ "). All of the sentences I used in Vulcan in the fic are from an English to Vulcan translator I found [here](http://lingojam.com/EnglishtoVulcanTranslator), so I'm not sure if they are gramtically correct, but the translations are listed underneath the fic.

She had been quite attracted to Spock the moment she first laid eyes on him. She knew there were regulations in place keeping them apart, as he was an instructor and she was his pupil, but the more time she spent around him, the more she just wanted to get to know him on a personal level. It was absolutely maddening sometimes. But she respected him and didn’t want to get him into trouble, so she just let her raging crush simmer in the back of her head and tried her best to concentrate on anything _but_ that.

But every once in a while she would catch him muttering things quietly under his breath, things she knew weren’t in English. Languages were her specialty, and she was _dying_ to know what he was saying. It wasn’t that hard to find people who knew other languages, even ones like Vulcan. There weren’t too many people who spoke it, and not many people who wanted to teach it to a student in the early years at the Academy such as herself, but after sweet talking some professors and begging and saying that she wanted to master as many foreign languages as possible before she graduated she was allowed the extra lessons.

And Spock...Spock was absolutely oblivious to her learning his language.

The first time he said something that she understood was when he muttered “ _Du nam-to ved maut-ugelik_ ” nearby her when she did exceptionally well on an examination. She smiled widely at his praise and he seemed slightly perplexed at the sudden smile on her face but continued to move forward. She had to be careful not to give herself away, that she was learning his language. If she did, then he would know her interest in him was more than just one of a student who liked her instructor.

She slowly listened to him speak around her, learning the pronunciation better. It was one thing listening to an instructor teach her the syntax of the language; it was another listening to a native speaker. She enjoyed listening to him speak, however briefly she heard him speak. She lived for moments when she heard him say things such as her having “ _wuh tren'es t' gen-lis wuh tishau t' if i ma worla gla-tor_ ” and being “ _k' irak wuh danik kash-tok kosu i ma ek'wak fainu._ ”

After a while, though, she couldn’t help herself, and when he complimented her when it was just the two then she blushed and replied “ _Du nam-tor ved sem-rik-tor._ ” The look of shock on his face was quite interesting, and it was quickly replaced with something she saw so rarely: a look of pleasure.

He sat next to her, sitting close, and then looked into her eyes. “ _Nam-tor du ek'aribenik svi' Vuhlkansu?_ ” he asked, tilting his head slightly.

She shook her head. “ _Siyah ek'aribenik,_ ” she replied. “ _Ri ved._ ”

“ _I kupi tan-tor du awek tupa,_ ” he said.

She gave him a wide smile, moving closer to him. “ _I wiuld spo’ ik._ ” She wasn’t sure if he realized that she wanted more from these lessons than just learning the Vulcan language, but...perhaps he would figure it out soon enough.

**\---**

She picked the language up more quickly with her private lessons with Spock. She was still taking her formal lessons with the instructors provided by the Academy but she looked forward to the lessons with Spock more. Those lessons were interesting because she actually learned more about him in the process. He wasn’t at all what she had imagined he would be like, and every time he gave her another tidbit into who he was, she felt privileged and honored that she would share something like that with her.

He had just told her a story about how he had left Vulcan and given the high council a rather epic sendoff, and when her laughter had tapered off she looked at him over the container of food she was eating from. “ _Du nam-tor wuh danik set'ki Vuhlkansu fi' terra,_ ” she said.

“I am not that interesting,” he said, looking down at her own food.

“But you are,” she replied. “You really are.” She had a bite of her food. “ _I_ find you quite fascinating, at least. In fact, _I kupi yokul du abru._ ”

“Nyota!” he said, sounding shocked. “I am your instructor.”

“I know,” she said with a smirk. “ _Du kupi saven-tor me ek' wihfelau t' vel._ ”

He gave her a stern look. “This is inappropriate behavior.”

She sighed, her good mood dimming. “I know,” she said, the tone of her voice glum. She set her container on the table. “I like you, Spock. I mean, I like you as a person and all, but I _like_ you, too.”

“I do not understand,” he said, frowning.

“I am attracted to you, Spock. I want to be more than just your student, more than just your friend. I know it’s not a good idea, I know it’s against the rules, but...I don’t care.” She sighed, and then stood up. “Maybe I should go. It’s...it’s not a good idea if I’m here.”

She began to gather her things, feeling sad and embarrassed and dejected, and was almost done when he spoke. “ _Du nam-tor wuh vaksur spo' rai vath,_ ” he said quietly. “ _I nah-tor du're buhfik._ ”

She froze for a moment, then slowly set her things down and then turned to look at him. “You...really think so?” she asked.

He nodded. “I have struggled with this for some time,” he said. “I know that a liaison between a student and an instructor is inappropriate, but I will admit I feel an attraction towards you. I usually am one for strict adherence towards rules, but I find myself wanting to break the rules to begin a relationship with you.”

She felt a lightness in her heart, something she hadn’t expected to feel, even when she had begun her private lessons with Spock, when she had felt all she would have with him was perhaps a friendship. She moved over to him, standing in front of him and placed her hands on his chest, looking down at him. “ _Etek dang shok,_ ” she said.

He nodded and then stood, moving to pull her a bit closer before tipping her chin up with his knuckle. “ _Sos'eh etek kupi,_ ” he murmured before leaning in and pressing his lips against hers. She had not expected him to be such a passionate kisser, for everything she had heard about Vulcans, but she felt herself go weak in the knees and she gripped the front of his uniform to keep herself steady. He must have realized she needed the support because he settled his hands on her waist as he deepened the kiss, and she sighed into it, enjoying every second of it.

Eventually, though, they pulled apart to catch their breath, and he rested his forehead against hers as they took deep breaths. “ _Ik vesh' taurauk,_ ” she said when she could finally speak. “ _Etek dang tor ish-veh va'ashiv._ ”

He nodded just slightly before moving just slightly, his lips hovering over hers again. “ _Ha, etek dang,_ he said before he kissed her again. She melted against him, pleased with how things had gone. Whatever came next, she knew she wouldn’t regret this change in their relationship or her decision to learn this specific language. It would be well worth it.

**Author's Note:**

> **TRANSLATIONS:**
> 
>  
> 
> **Du nam-to ved maut-ugelik. -- > **  
>  _You are quite brilliant._  
>  **Wuh tren'es t' gen-lis wuh tishau t' if i ma worla gla-tor. -- > **  
>  _A mastery of language the likes of which I have never seen._  
>  **K' irak wuh danik kash-tok kosu i ma ek'wak fainu. -- > **  
>  _By far the most intelligent woman I have ever known._  
>  **Du nam-tor ved sem-rik-tor. -- > **  
>  _You are quite charming._  
>  **Nam-tor du ek'aribenik svi' Vuhlkansu? -- > **  
>  _Are you fluent in Vulcan?_  
>  **Siyah ek'aribenik. Ri ved. -- > **  
>  _I am almost fluent. Not quite._  
>  **I kupi tan-tor du awek tupa. -- > **  
>  _I could give you private lessons._  
>  **I wiuld spo’ ik. -- > **  
>  _I would like that._  
>  **Du nam-tor wuh danik set'ki Vuhlkansu fi' terra. -- > **  
>  _You are the most interesting Vulcan on Earth._  
>  **I kupi yokul du abru. -- > **  
>  _I could eat you up._  
>  **Du kupi saven-tor me ek' wihfelau t' vel. -- > **  
>  _You could teach me all sorts of things._  
>  **Du nam-tor wuh vaksur spo' rai vath. -- > **  
>  _You are a beauty like no other._  
>  **I nah-tor du're buhfik. -- > **  
>  _I think you're perfect._  
>  **Etek dang shok. -- > **  
>  _We should kiss._  
>  **Sos'eh etek kupi. -- > **  
>  _Perhaps we could._  
>  **Ik vesh' taurauk. Etek dang tor ish-veh va'ashiv. -- > **  
>  _That was amazing. We should do it again._  
>  **Ha, etek dang. -- > **  
>  _Yes, we should._


End file.
